Chapter 319 - 246: The Experts Fall Silent
"General, that’s a tactical hand signal. It means ’all clear’."
Han Feng spouted nonsense with a straight face.
"Cut the crap."
Li Tiecheng laughed heartily. "Alright, spill it. What was that all about?
I don’t believe current Spiritual Energy Engines are capable of that."
All eyes in the room focused on Han Feng.
Especially Councilor Wang, whose gaze was so intense it could have burned a hole right through him.
"This can’t be mass-produced!"
Councilor Wang suddenly shrieked, as if grasping at his last straw:
"That maneuver just now must have used some kind of forbidden technology, or it was a one-off burst of power!
The cost must be astronomical!"
He pointed at a line of red text on the screen. "Look at this!
In just ten minutes, it consumed the energy of three Tier Three Upper Grade Spirit Stones!
This isn’t flying a jet, it’s burning money!"
Han Feng found a chair, sat down, crossed his legs, and even poured himself a glass of water.
"Councilor Wang, that’s not how you do the math."
He took a sip of water, moistening his dry throat.
"Let me ask you, if that had been a Tier Four Flying Demon Beast, or a projection of a High-dimensional Creature, how many ’Night Owls’ would you need to send to their deaths?"
Councilor Wang was speechless.
"Five? Ten? Or twenty?"
Han Feng gestured with his fingers.
"Add in the condolence payments, the cost of the destroyed jets, and the expense of training the pilots. That number should be much, much higher than the cost of these three Spirit Stones, wouldn’t you say?"
"Besides..."
Han Feng put down his glass, his gaze sharpening.
"The value of a High Tier Pilot cannot be measured in money."
Councilor Wang’s face flushed red.
"You’re just twisting words and forcing logic!
The Alliance cares about cost-effectiveness and mass deployment!
A custom toy like yours..."
"Enough."
Speaker Ye Daoyuan, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it made Councilor Wang shut his mouth instantly.
Ye Daoyuan looked at Han Feng, his gaze profound. "That hovering technology, how did you do it?"
This was the core issue.
If it could be widely adopted, it would rewrite the rules of human aerial combat.
Han Feng had already prepared his speech.
’Can’t exactly say it’s the Sword Control Technique, can I? These guys would dissect me for research.’
"Spiritual Energy Resonance and Reverse Magnetic Fluid Confinement."
Han Feng threw out two very impressive-sounding terms.
"Simply put, I treat the entire fighter jet as a single entity. Using the ’Escapee’ armor as a relay, I create a deep link between the pilot’s Spiritual Power and the jet’s Spiritual Energy Circuits."
"In that instant, the fighter jet becomes my body."
"If I want it to stop, it stops. If I want it to turn, it turns."
Han Feng pointed to his own head.
"Of course, the requirements for the pilot are extremely high.
If their Spiritual Power isn’t strong enough, or if they can’t withstand that instantaneous data surge, the result is brain death."
This part, at least, was true.
If he didn’t have his System, Spiritual Power exceeding 2000 Hz, and the enhancement from his Innate Sword Body, that last series of maneuvers would have drained him completely.
The old man from the Science Academy pushed up his glasses, looking thoughtful.
"You mean... Human-Machine Unity? Similar to neural interface technology?"
"A bit wilder than that."
Han Feng smiled. "You could understand it as piloting with your mind."
The room fell silent.
Although the explanation was esoteric, in this era of Spiritual Qi Revival, it was actually quite convincing.
After all, advanced Martial Arts cultivation also emphasized the unity of mind and will.
"Can it be mass-produced?"
Li Tiecheng asked the most crucial question directly.
"The X-01 is a prototype. The materials used are too high-end, so it really can’t be mass-produced."
Han Feng was very honest.
"However, if we lower the performance specs and neuter some of those extreme maneuver capabilities.
Retaining only sixty percent of the performance.
It would become the X-02 mass-production model."
He looked at Li Tiecheng.
"As long as the materials are sufficient, give me three months, and I can pull together a squadron for the Garrison Army."
"Really?"
Li Tiecheng’s eyes went wide in an instant, as if he had just seen a peerless beauty.
’Sixty percent of its performance?’
’That’s still a huge leap ahead of the current active-service fighters!’
"But I have one condition."
Han Feng held up a single finger.
"Name it! As long as it doesn’t violate any principles, I’ll even empty out Celestial Craft Group’s warehouses for you!"
Li Tiecheng waved his hand grandly.
Beside him, the corner of Chen Beixuan’s eye twitched. ’This old rogue is sure generous,’ he thought, ’with someone else’s warehouse.’
"First, the ’Ghost’ project’s independence must be maintained. No one is to interfere with its personnel or technology."
Han Feng glanced at Councilor Wang.
Councilor Wang shrank back, pretending not to see.
"Second, I want priority selection rights for all salvaged battle equipment."
Han Feng stated his true objective.
He needed High Tier Materials for Artifact Refining, to strengthen his own "Lifebound Flying Sword."
That kind of Top Grade Material couldn’t be bought on the open market; it could only be found in the military’s spoils-of-war depots.
"Salvaged equipment?"
Li Tiecheng paused for a moment. "What do you want that junk for?"
"Patch it up here and there, and it’ll be usable."
Han Feng said evasively.
"Done! No problem!"
Li Tiecheng agreed without the slightest hesitation.
"As long as you can build the jets, forget the salvaged stuff—I’ll approve brand new equipment for you!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Chen Beixuan’s hand, which was holding a teacup, clearly trembled.
’He inwardly cursed the old military ruffian for being so cavalier with someone else’s property. That was the military’s supply depot; every last screw was paid for with the taxpayers’ blood and sweat.’
But Han Feng didn’t give him a chance to go back on his word. With a flick of his wrist, he produced an electronic tablet from behind his back as if by magic.
On it was an already-prepared, densely-packed materials requisition form.
"Since General Li is so generous, there’s no time like the present. Why don’t you sign this letter of intent first?"